Question about Match Fishing

[Sean Anderson]

I have a few questions about match fishing.

 

• What's the best way to enter, I presume speaking to the bailiff? I've never seen matches advertised, other than the sign on the gate to inform anglers when the lake is reserved.
  
• Do they typically have an entrance fee and how much it's likely to be?
  
• Do they have a prize/trophy?
  
• Am I likely to face any "equipment" issues? I see that most match anglers use poles and have more stuff than my local tackle shop.
  
• Do they limit on techniques, etc? Again, I've only seen them on poles ... I presume that any style within the rules of the club/venue are okay for a match.
  
• Would they usually limit to one rod, or two?
  

 

I know that I would need to get two keepnets (upto 2lb and over 2lb) for the place that I am thinking of. I don't have keepnets, we just catch/release keeping count/weight as we go along ... for a little friendly fun.

 

I've seen these guys turn out with a "van load" of gear ... which is going to make me look like a complete rank amateur, but at the location where I frequent, I think that I have a good understanding of the water. When there has been a small match (~8 pegs), I've fished the other end of the lake and heard them announcing weights at the end ... somewhere around 75-100lb for the winner and I would be quite confident that in the same time span, fishing the way that I do (hence the question about equipment and methods) I could haul a catch of a similar weight.

 

Also, if there's any matchmen amongst you ... I wonder if would it be typical to target for quantity or weight. I could catch skimmers (roach/bream to 2lb) all day and build a weight steadily or target the bigger fish (8lb+ carp), which are going to take longer to catch and then the time to land?

 

Any help appreciated.

[kleinboet]

I would suggest that you join a club and join their matches first, before attempting an open. They will usually inform you of opens in your area.

Although you can set up as many pole rigs, rod/reel combos as you want, you must ALWAYS only ever have one rod/pole in use at a time.

Tight Lines!!

[gozzer]

I agree with Kleinboet in that the best way to start match fishing is to join a club, and work your way up.

 

When you fish a match you will find that it's different to be pegged between two experienced matchmen, than fishing the other end of the water away from them.

There are many tricks used by regular matchmen, not only to catch more fish themselves, but to try and prevent fish from entering your swim to reduce your catch rate. It is after all a competition.

When I fished matches (mainly on rivers) I soon found out that by feeding different lines the more experienced prevented fish from entering my swim, even if they were fishing a different line and targeting another species.

Newcomers can be food and drink to many open match anglers, and to enter above your level can be very costly.

Far better to join a small club and get some experience among a small friendly group, than jump in at the deep end and struggle.

 

John.

Edited August 29, 2008 by gozzer

[Sean Anderson]

Many thanks for the comments so far.

 

I will indeed speak with the bailiff when she comes round next as first port of call then I guess to the club secretary and see what goes from there.

 

Does anynoe know what sort of entry fee/prize situation is likely to be? ... I presume it's not all about the "ego" at the end of the day.

[gozzer]

Many thanks for the comments so far.

 

I will indeed speak with the bailiff when she comes round next as first port of call then I guess to the club secretary and see what goes from there.

 

Does anyone know what sort of entry fee/prize situation is likely to be? ... I presume it's not all about the "ego" at the end of the day.

 

It varies Sean. Some have an entry fee, to pay for daytickets, organising etc, plus a prize pool of money. Some have a straight amount with all monies going into the prize fund.

The amount of the prize and the number of prizes will depend on how many fish and how much they pay.

A small match might just pay out for the first 3 or 4 best weights, while a bigger match (with 80 -100 pegs) will also have section prizes, where the match is split into say 4 sections of 20 pegs per section, and have smaller prizes for the first two in the section, as well as the main prizes.

 

If your determined to have a go, then ask whoever runs it how the money is shared out, and what percentages go to what placing.

When we ran small matches we used to share the prize money as 50% for the winner, then 30% for second, and 20% for third, but as I say it differs from club to club.

 

John.

[stuchef]

Sean, so many questions i will start at the top

 

1. get into matches by either joining a club or check your local area and find what we call open matches speak to the bailiff at your local fisherie your talking about he will awnser if tehy have open matches or not or if you know there is a match going to be on pop along and speak to the boys and if there a club they will give you info on how to join.

2. there is allways fees you still ahve to pay your day ticket then if you join a club you will have club fees annually however these are generally anywhere from 10 - 20 quid teh year tehn you have whats called pools money this varies on where you fish from anywhere from 10-20 quid some optional some not I advise fish a couple of matches and just pay the minimum pools otherwise your just pool's fodder and geta feel fr it the pools money depending on how many fishing on a first second third basis if less hen 10 prob just 1st 2nd tehn when you get into bigger matches you have sections which your then just competeing with the other anglers around you. and on top of that overall pace for example say there is 3 lakes being used with a split of anglers on each lake if you win your lake you wn your section however every lake is then put into the overall on weight so if yor a bad lake you may win but only come 4th overall.

3. Bigger matches come with bigger prizes yes can be trophies for certain matches usually big ones or ifyou join a club youmay get trophies for where you finish in a league over a set period such as a summer league.

4. you are right that any method that the club or lake is allowed in a match your right in the fact that alot of people use poles purely for acuracy and better bait presentation generally producing better weights 8 out of 10 times you need to have a pole to compete on a fisherie saying that however i know plenty of boys that win matches with traditional rod and line but they are very able a confident in the method they fish.

5. one line in the water at any one time.

 

 

yes you would need to get 2 nets which or the 2 and a landing net and stink bag £30 for a good set.

 

dont be put off with the all the gear some of us match boys have we all ahd to start somewhere some of it is gear they dont need just more money then sense like i said ive seen boys win with float rod a chair and a bit of bait.

 

As for teh lake you go to if you have a god knowledge that may give you a good heads up on other anglers however dont get decieved in thinking that if you catch 100lb on a pleasure day that you could produce that in a match there is so many factors to involve

traffic on the bank the noise of every one baiting the sheer amoun of bait going in this all spreads the fish around if not spooks them off when you said you fished the other side of the lake you might of found the match spooked them up the lake?

 

And your final question what do you target this the whole part of match fishing you just dont know depending on venue weather the carp are feeding you have to be willing to adapt in matches the peg next to you may be bagging up on carp and you might not be getting anything you cant just sit for 5-6 hours hoping the carp will come this may never happen you will find alot of people allways head out for carp a good match angler will know after an hour into the match weather they are feeding or not and chage his tatics accordingly either by targeting silver fish or fishing diffrent depths in the water match fishing is all about catching fish prefferably on a constant basis not sat there hoping for 1 big fish to come along for example if i find myself not catching carp and that generally no one else is the carp arent feeding so i may target silver fsh for an hour then maybe try again for 10 mins for carp again then just go bag for silvers but at all times keeping my options open just cause you see 1 person catch 1 carp doesnt mean there feeding just could be a bonus fish if this is the case you can compete very easily catch quantities of smaller fish 1 thing nearly all anglers do in matches is feed your margins straight from the off and feed throughout the match and the last hour in the match is your time to get your bigger fish out the margin.

 

I apologise for the length of the reply however your questions were like asking how do i skin a cat to many variables to comprehend however the more experiance you get and the more you learn the better you get not at just matches but your pleasure fishing aswell just like any sport.

[Sean Anderson]

Thanks for the reply and all the information. Being new to the idea of a match it all helps and has (along with the other comments) given me a good heads up on where I should start ... and I can't wait to have a crack. I don't expect to win straight off, in fact I don't really expect to win for some time ... I'm not that arrogant. Interesting to read about the tactics that the experienced anglers may adopt, as I hadn't considered that at all.

 

When I get myself in and have the first go, I'll be sure to post my thoughts back on here. Maybe others will be interested to know how the "new boy" gets on.